Written by: Wyatt Schaeffer, biology major and chemistry minor
Study Abroad Programs: Fermentation in Belgium & The Netherlands Embedded Program and Rome, Italy Semester Program
Choosing to study abroad can be stressful, especially as a STEM major. With so many classes to take, it can feel like there isn’t enough time to study abroad. Except…YOU CAN. Most STEM majors are built to have a semester for their students to study abroad. When making and revising your 4-year plan, see what a semester of study abroad looks like in your schedule. You may realize that it isn’t impossible or even cramped to fit in a semester abroad.
Go on a Short-Term Program
There are some study abroad programs that are designed specifically for STEM majors. There are some programs that allow you to take STEM classes and fulfill your STEM credits for graduation. One program that I went on was an embedded program in which I took a chemistry class here on campus on the topic of fermentation and then studied abroad with the same professor and classmates and used the skills I learned in the classroom while abroad. While in Belgium and The Netherlands, we made cheese and waffles and we had the opportunity to try fermented foods.
Go on a Semester Program
My advice for STEM majors hoping to study abroad for a semester is: Take a break. STEM classes can be stressful with all of their intense content and labs. Semester study abroad can be a great time to take classes you enjoy that aren’t related to STEM at all. While studying abroad for a semester in Rome, I was able to take classes in my other interest areas such as art, history, and culture.
When picking classes for your semester program, choose classes that check off requirements in your Integrations Curriculum. In Italy, they had classes that fulfilled Cultural and Social Differences: Systems, Theological Integrations, Artistic Expression, Human Experience, Social World, Global Engagement, and Experiential Engagement. All of the semester programs at CSB and SJU offer classes that can help you check off different boxes within your major/minor and Integrations Curriculum requirements.
When I was abroad in Rome, I had a course load of 16 credits total. While there, I was able to complete my Theological Integrations credit through The Western Church in Context class, my Artistic Expression credit through the Rome Sketchbook class, and my Global Engagement, Experiential Engagement, and Cultural and Social Differences: Systems credit from my required Study Abroad Seminar taught by a professor from CSB and SJU. I also got to take classes that interested me, like Food and Culture in Italy as well as History of the Italian Mafia.
Advice When Abroad
Seize the opportunity of your STEM break to step out of your routine. Embrace new experiences, rediscover old hobbies, and explore activities you’ve put on pause. Try new foods, meet new people, and push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Make each day a new adventure by immersing yourself in the excitement of a fresh, unfamiliar environment. This is your chance to explore the world around you, something once thought impossible. Take it all in and let it shape a whole new perspective on life.